HC Deb 10 March 1998 vol 308 c112W
Mr. Maples

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's policies to ensure the existence of sufficient numbers of qualified doctors in the future. [29065]

Mr. Milburn

The Government's strategy to ensure that there are sufficient qualified doctors in the future is to increase training levels and address concerns about recruitment and retention. Our initiatives in this area include: new student funding arrangements, which reflect the special features of undergraduate medical education; further investment in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, which should ensure future increases in doctor numbers; flexible and family-friendly training arrangements; continued attention to equal employment opportunities; the salaried doctors and improved retainer schemes within general practice; and opportunities within the Primary Care Act pilots.

Also, we are taking steps to ensure that doctors feel valued and involved. For example, the recent White Paper The New NHS promotes greater involvement of hospital doctors in the management of National Health Service trusts, and increases all doctors' influence over management decisions.

Finally, we have improved our workforce planning arrangements, to ensure that the supply of doctors reflects demand.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to ensure that doctors and dentists whose first language is not English have to demonstrate proficiency in English before being allowed to practise. [33291]

Mr. Milburn

Anyone who wishes to practise as a doctor or dentist in the United Kingdom must be first registered with either the General Medical Council (GMC) or General Dental Council (GDC).

In the case of most non European Economic Area (EEA) nationals the GMC and GDC must be satisfied that the practitioner meets the required level of professional and language competence before they are registered.

The GMC and GDC are obliged under European legislation to register EEA nationals with recognised EEA qualifications. It is therefore for employers and health authorities to satisfy themselves that potential employees or independent contractors possess the necessary skills including communication skills.